Psalms 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

When we sat down by the rivers of Babylon we wept as we remembered Zion.

2 Upon the willows in the midst thereof we hanged up our harps.

We hung up our harps on the willow trees.

3 For there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, and our tormentors asked of us mirth: 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'

For those who had taken us captive asked us for a song—our tormentors wanted us to sing a happy song from Jerusalem.

4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a foreign land?

But how could we sing a song dedicated to the Lord in a pagan land?

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

If I forget Jerusalem, may my right hand forget how to play;

6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.

May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you—if I don't consider Jerusalem my greatest joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; who said: 'Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.'

Lord, please remember what the people of Edom did on the day Jerusalem fell, the ones who said “Tear it down! Destroy it down to its foundations!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that repayeth thee as thou hast served us.

Daughter of Babylon, you will be destroyed! Happy is the one who pays you back, who does to you what you did to us!

9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.

Happy is the one who grabs your children and smashes them against the rocks!